Electricity Meter Surge-Clamped Grid Voltage Sensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electricity meters are costly due to the need for expensive components and substantial PCB spacing to withstand large voltage surges on both load-side and grid-side connections, while also requiring accurate measurements of both voltages for safe and reliable operation.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a surge protection device across the power supply input to measure grid-side voltage, eliminating the need for expensive resistor strings and allowing lower-cost resistors to be used, with voltage measurements derived from a load-side resistor string, and using voltage dividers or transformers to accurately measure grid-side voltage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If expensive resistor strings and substantial PCB spacing are used to withstand large voltage surges on grid-side connections, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to withstand voltage surgesVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

A surge protection device is introduced as an intermediary component between the grid-side voltage source and the measurement circuitry. This device clamps voltage surges to a safe level, allowing standard resistors and PCB spacing to be used while maintaining the ability to withstand large voltage transients. The surge protection device absorbs the stress of voltage surges, protecting the rest of the circuit from damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The surge protection device acts as a sacrificial component that can be replaced after experiencing severe surges. Rather than designing the entire measurement system to withstand extreme voltage events, a relatively inexpensive surge protection device is used that can be replaced if degraded by severe events, while enabling cheap standard components to be used in the main measurement circuitry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Measurement precision

If separate expensive resistor strings are used for grid-side voltage measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoltage measurement accuracyVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The load-side resistor string is designed to serve multiple functions: it measures load-side voltage for power consumption calculation and also measures grid-side voltage when combined with the surge protection device. By making the resistor string multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for separate grid-side measurement circuitry, reducing component count and complexity while maintaining measurement capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the grid-side voltage measurement function with the load-side resistor string and surge protection device combination. Instead of having separate measurement paths for grid-side and load-side voltages, the same measurement circuitry is used for both purposes, with the surge protection device enabling the shared use of the resistor string for grid-side measurements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Reduces manufacturing costs by eliminating expensive resistor strings and board space, while maintaining accurate voltage measurements and ensuring safe operation during co-generation scenarios.

Implementation Method 1

a surge protection device for protecting an input to the power supply... voltage measurements derived from a load-side resistor string

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVoltage clamping:

Implementation Method 2

voltage measurements derived from a load-side resistor string... using voltage dividers or transformers to accurately measure grid-side voltage

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVoltage division:

Data Source

PatentUS20260110716A1Electricity meter with grid-side voltage sensing

Publication Date: 2026.04.23 LANDIS GYR TECH INC

AI summary

An electricity meter (400) is disclosed. The electricity meter (400) comprises a power supply (460) for supplying power to measurement circuitry (430), and a surge protection device (455) for protecting an input (VA_LINE, VC_LINE) to the power supply. The measurement circuitry is configured to measure a voltage across the surge protection device. A corresponding method of operating an electricity meter is also disclosed, the method comprising configuring measurement circuitry to measure a voltage across a surge protection device, wherein the surge protection device is configured to protect an input to a power supply configured to supply power to the measurement circuitry.